A DAB trial has been on air in Budapest for many years and was initiated by the content provider ‘Magyar Rádió’ and the broadcaster company ‘Antenna Hungária’.  A national DAB digital radio multiplex is expected to be awarded in 2008, with services likely to launch by the end of the year.

In this country there is

• National multiplex: 1 Trial

Even though Hungary is officially still in DAB trial phase, there are some twenty DAB receivers available on the market, starting at 70 Euro.

The on-going Band III DAB trial operates with two transmitter sites in a single frequency network and covers Budapest.  At the end of 2007 this same network broadcast a DMB trial and in early 2008 mixed multiplex trials have been carried out: these have compared different technologies (DAB, DAB+ and DMB).  Four programmes are currently on-air, three of these are simulcast programmes from Magyar Radio and the forth one is a DAB-only channel for extra music (classics, jazz & world music). One of these services is broadcast using DAB+.  In addition, there is also Programme Associated Data (PAD) available.

The government strategy for the implementation of digital broadcasting (both radio and television) was approved in March 2007.  The Act on the rules of broadcasting and digital switchover was published in June 2007.  It gives the legal background on the introduction of digital radio services, but specifies that more detailed regulation will be needed on local digital radio and issues regarding switchover.

In line with the provisions of this Act, in March 2008 the National Communications Authority (NCAH) published an invitation to tender for a national multiplex.  The winner - expected to be announced in 2008 - will be awarded a 12 year licence.  Services are likely to launch before the end of 2008 in the capital, most probably using DAB+ technology.  National coverage will gradually increase up until 2011, which is the deadline for analogue TV switch off.